Ice Skating With Jeans

From Ollantaytambo, we will travel to this destination if what you expect and tourism to Machu Picchu. We were informed in Cusco to get there and it was best to go there ... well on our own. Indeed, the only possibilities are to go by train (which is around $ 100 minimum AR) and the road to a certain extent. As usual, we tried the local transport bus, not wanting to pay the full price of the train, operated by a consortium of multinational companies (we are not sure, but probably Chilean, American and German). Peruvians themselves for the most can not afford this luxury and all the money collected does not fill the coffers of the state, which is why we say the Peruvians, they encourage tourists to go by other means just to make history at the picnic what they considèrent comme pas normal, et comme on les comprend! Du coup, c‘est 4 heures de bus pour aller de Ollamtaytambo à Santa Maria, dans des grandes routes de montagne, pas très larges, qui passent près des cimes de neiges éternelles, d’habitations de bord de route dignes des temps les plus reculés, avant de terminer sur une piste étroite, où on aura tout le loisir d’admirer la conduite habile du chauffeur… En effet, pris sur le passage du bus, on a eu le droit de faire les 3 premières heures debout dans les odeurs d’un clochard, avant de squatter l’allée avec les sensations de virages et autres rebonds dignes d’un très bon parc d’attraction (un grand time!), before the cab driver (cumbia music in the background). We thus arrive at Santa Maria, where we have the chance to make a quick connection with a small takeaway nickel. A night run close to the cliff side, and we continue to trust the driver who regularly spends at least a tire width of the ravine ... It's okay, we do not see the bottom, is that it must not be dangerous ... He let go a few little injuries to relax! Finally we arrived in Santa Teresa, where we spend the night after a good half day trip. The next day, we still have a fling than 30 minutes to go Hydroelectric, terminus of the access road to the depths of the jungle. From there we will have to walk along the railroad to go to Aguas Calientes, about 2h30 - 3h. Programme: crossing a bridge, the greenery,

return of humid heat and birdsong surprising.

For me, this is an opportunity to spare a thought for my parents and Duche, probably been there, there are more than 30 years. At the time, the train would not be as modern and probably did not have the name of Hiram Bingham, discoverer of the illustrious city lost in 1911. In his time, what this trip had it been accompanied by a young man's native place, living in the site ... It came in subsequent years to the area to date, reviving. The site had in fact died some 200 years earlier when the last Incas used it as the last bastion of refuge from the conquistadores who had already destroyed the rest of the buildings of wild (and when we see the accuracy of these constructions, however, that they inspire respect).

very top, the silhouette of Machu Picchu

After our 3 hour walk, then we arrive in this city that seems full expansion, hotels and pushing it there, more than 40 dollars a night, fed by an armada of brand new buses,

greeted by a hundred riot police! What? There are still Inca who shit? They still want to break rocks, making prayers for the sun? Well it's almost like this: in fact the Indians, or native and are showing one-day strike and blockade to protest against the government which has the unfortunate tendency to privatize everything ...

And the last project concerns access to water (previously free)! The problem is that people here are well aware that once restricted access to water, life will not be possible, especially as people here have always worked with and how this sharing Could they pay the access? Ah ... the pursuit of profit. I look forward to returning to this company consumption and running personal enrichment!
Still, once the "Hospedaje" found, we walk a little in the city that is one big tourist stage without really charming. We prefer to bed not too late to be able to get up early the next day. But our plans change after a tropical storm type has raged for more than 3h. We will wait one more day in Aguas Calientes, under a gray us confirming the choice of postponing the visit to Machu Picchu, the opportunity to stroll, rest, dancing, but nothing too exciting. We go to bed early in anticipation of the long day the next day.
It begins with an awakening on 2 hours ... in fact after a 3:30 start 40 minutes after waking up! Once the packets and some cakes made in the abdomen, one hand at night in the sleepy town. We crossed the guides and drivers coming from hydroelectric, believe they commute every morning ... We left the city accompanied by a small dog who will follow us to the entrance and even the site of Machu Picchu after successfully cheat! We called "yes man" in reference to the noise of the single lamp that we have in our possession, since ecological recharges in mill and making a noise of thunder dynamo (ouiiiouiiiiiiouiiiiiiiiouiiiii!)! After 15 minutes on the track bus, we take the steep road that goes straight through the jungle to Machu Picchu. And both say that even at 5 o'clock in the morning, it is hot and the air is moist. We will put a little over an hour to arrive, where a French couple waiting, disappointed at not being able to enter without paying. For us, that we should give money to the entry that is paid to the government and people of Peru. For cons, the site opens at 6:00 and is clearly forbidden to enter with water on le site ; ça annonce une bonne journée de déshydratation ça! On patiente jusqu’à l’ouverture magique du site et profitant avec grand bonheur de ces quelques minutes où le site est totalement vierge : quelle chance.

Pendant ce temps, le soleil fait son apparition...

Nous sommes les premiers du jour à venir,

on se fait une petite salsa seuls devant le Machu Picchu

avant d’avancer de peur de ne pouvoir accéder au Wayna Picchu, petite montagne donnant sur le site et où se trouve The Temple of the Moon, which has access to a limited number of places per day. Usually the quotation is completed in the quarter-hour after opening. But today is a somewhat special because due to the strike of the day, we will be the 27 th and 28 (small dedication to the 28th anniversary of my mommy!), Provided that there is one since yesterday no train could not drive the usual flow of tourists. So we can go quietly for an hour to reach the summit of Wayna Picchu and see the sun take possession of the site dedicated to her honor.

For indeed, everything here is centered over rotation of the sun with infinite precision. Each stone has its usefulness to be guided by a compass point, a ray of sunshine to the summer solstice, which illuminates a stone giving the beginning of the harvest. The latter,

raised in front of the observatory, contains the burning symbol associated with the geography of the place, the three sacred circles of Machu Picchu, the mountain Putucusi around which organized the couple's circle mountains of Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu and the surrounding circle of mountains.

The Incas had with their beliefs, knowledge matching the stunning astronomy European science at the time, their only problem was that their beliefs were not associated the same ... Seen from above, the site is of ingenuity and beauty in harmony with the environment without equal (and yet, Petra, it sends). Harmony brings together aesthetics, science, religion, architecture, know-how, functionality and compliance with the natural environment. Impressive. We will stay up there in full contemplation

in the presence of Zoe and Peguy, encountered in low and that for the first time since the beginning of the trip we had arrested "it is you who in different countries in the world?" It's pretty funny ... Travel from France and arrived here via Central America, part of the continent apparently less modernized, but also fabulous (Nicaragua and Guatemala in the words) will discuss a good time while the site remains empty to our pleasant surprise! After a ride on the heights, an attempt to catch a bag of Japanese tourists, we descend the steep and narrow path on the cliffside. On arrival, a small break on the lawn of Machu Picchu we will rather good.
Therefore, there are a few more people, without either the 3000 people daily, and we have the opportunity to try to observe, with the imagination of the Incas (not they chewed coca!) The Cougar head into the mountains, the condor of the rock (even the Incas carved terraces to reflect the folds of her neck!) and the mythical creature ("flying lizard") shaped lizard represented by the architecture of site.

The immensity of the terraces and the construction work is amazing,

small maze between buildings,

stairs now restored

sun temple and altar facing cut to the millimeter, we will take a trip to Machu.

I for one am a little lack of energy or a little sick, so I blow a little. We go to the bridge still Inca building showing the technicality of their construction because it is a passage passing through the mountains, restored to some extent, before he left on the side of cliff.

It was strong, the guys of construction at the time! Salsa later and it starts to be time to leave, because we have a good 3 hours walking.

The descent of the site without water is motivated by the images that we have fresh in mind and we continue to move forward on the back along the tracks. Because the day is ending, when we arrive at Hydroelectric, it's already dark for 1 hour, it is 16 hours we are awake and we are more than 7 hours of walking, not to mention strolling over Machu Picchu .. . Suffice to say it has full legs and at that time, Normally there is no car to Santa Teresa ... But here we are lucky because there is a single taxi waiting for an hour a group that will never come, but we will make the trip. Phew! We will attempt to even make the connection for it brings us back to Cusco, but the trading will fall flat with the arrival of the couple in the morning. Small rant about those people who try all the time to take advantage of the situation in Fyn, trying to get good deals, even if you spoil yours, yet you had shared with them for 3 in save! In short, we are already happy to eat a little, sleep in a comfortable bed, because it was not a foregone conclusion, but it took! The next day we put a lot of time to return to Cusco by taxi, ultimately, the same price as the bus (and say we were told in the agencies, there was the train!). On arrival, we cooked these two days and we'll do the luxury of not pick up on the 16 hour bus to Lima, taking an air ticket with departure at 3200 m and Overview mountains and a volcano erupting!
For the story on the morning of departure, I went to sell my fluff feathers plucked on the second hand market, where You can also find what you're stung in the city. After the sale, I put money in my pocket, external zippered fleece. Obviously, as the policeman told me less than 300 yards away, a guy makes me very cleverly pockets that I do not feel anything or almost, if not just his hustle ... Ah supported this pleasure that I I had to chopper him catch his hand, badly hidden behind him, take my money, before putting a shot in her mouth! He took all the others, without exaggeration, since I seemed to have breathing too plastic, but I am glad to have had a chopper in anyway!